More information on the Water Framework Directive

On 22 December
2000, the European Union (EU) passed a new piece of legislation, the
Water Framework Directive (WFD). This is the most significant piece of
water quality legislation to be developed by the EU for at least twenty
years and it will revolutionise the way we manage one of our most
important resources.

Previous European
water legislation set objectives aimed at protecting particular uses of
the water environment from the effects of pollution and guarding the
water environment from dangerous chemical substances. The WFD takes
many of these objectives forward. More importantly, it also introduces
additional, broader ecological objectives that are designed to defend,
and where necessary restore the structure and function of aquatic
ecosystems.

The Directive
establishes an original, integrated approach to the protection,
improvement and sustainable use of rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal
waters and groundwater within Europe. It impacts on the management of
water quality and water resources and affects conservation, fisheries,
flood defense, planning and environmental monitoring. It requires us to
control all impacts –physical, polluting or otherwise – on
our water resource.

The terminology
used on these web pages includes words that are used in the Directive,
which is a legal document. One of the reasons for such terminology is
to ensure consistency across member states when reporting. Some of the
terms used are completely new and others may be unfamiliar to us, such
as, estuaries being described as transitional waters.

The primary focus
of the Directive is to achieve 'good' ecological status for all waters
by 2015.

The Directive:

Considers the
full range of the water environment, from "Source to Sea" i.e.groundwaters, rivers, lakes, estuaries, transitional waters and coastalwaters.

Considers theimpact upon wetlands of the management of water quality and quantity.

Sets
environmental objectives, which take account of the full range of
pressures upon the aquatic environment (pollution, abstraction, flowregulation/transfer and habitat impact). The emphasis being onecological quality.

Ecological
status is divided into five classes (high, good, moderate, poor and
bad) and is derived from measurements of biological, hydro
morphological and physio-chemical elements. The measurement of the
biological elements includes aquatic flora (plants), benthicinvertebrates (small animals that live on the bottom of rivers, lakesand coastal water bodies) and fish.

Promotessustainable use of water resources.

Defines a
planning, management and reporting system based upon River Basin
Districts and International River Basin Districts. These are based upon
large river basins or a combination of smaller neighbouring basins and include all rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters and associatedgroundwaters.

Involves social
participation and transparency. Member States have to involve as many
parties as possible (e.g. stakeholders, local and regional authorities,water users and environmental groups) in drafting, discussing andupdating River Basin Management Plans.

The Water Framework Directive and its relationship with other legislation

The Directive, due
to its wide-reaching nature, will eventually replace a number of the
other water quality directives (for example, those on Surface Water
Abstraction, Freshwater Fisheries and Shellfish Waters) and
implementation of others (for example, the Integrated Pollution
Prevention and Control, Urban Waste Water Treatment, Habitats and
Nitrates Directives) will form part of the 'basic measures' for the
Water Framework Directive.

The new approach of the Water Framework Directive

The Directive
states that water quality management be centered on river basins, which
are natural geographical areas that occur in the landscape. This is in
contrast to other water management systems which use administrative
management units which have arbitrary boundaries.

Management of
these basins will be achieved through management plans, a plan being
created for each River Basin District. "Characterisation Reports" must
be in place for every River Basin District. The reports give an account
of each basin, including the pressures and impacts caused by humans.
The report is necessary to work out whether such effects are likely to
inhibit the accomplishment of good status.

The scientific
assessment of the river basin that is contained in the Characterisation
Report is vital for the production of the "Programme of Measures". The
Programme of Measures consists of policies and strategies, such as
monitoring programmes, that are intended to reduce the risk to water
bodies and allow them to attain good status.